Percentage of public schools recording incidents of crime at school and reporting incidents to police, number of incidents, and rate per 1,000 students, by type of crime: Selected years, 1999-2000 through 2015-16

[Standard errors appear in parentheses]

Type of crime recorded or reported to police

Percent of schools

2015-16

1999-2000

2003-04

2005-06

2007-08

2009-10

2013-141

Percentof schools

Number of incidents

Rate per 1,000 students

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Recorded incidents

Total

86.4

(1.23)

88.5

(0.85)

85.7

(1.07)

85.5

(0.87)

85.0

(1.07)

—

(†)

78.9

(1.28)

1,381,200

(42,660)

28.0

(0.90)

Violent incidents

71.4

(1.37)

81.4

(1.05)

77.7

(1.11)

75.5

(1.09)

73.8

(1.07)

65.0

(1.46)

68.9

(1.30)

864,900

(42,950)

17.5

(0.89)

Serious violent incidents

19.7

(0.98)

18.3

(0.99)

17.1

(0.91)

17.2

(1.06)

16.4

(0.94)

13.1

(1.00)

15.5

(0.93)

40,800

(3,460)

0.8

(0.07)

Rape or attempted rape

0.7

(0.10)

0.8

(0.17)

0.3

(0.07)

0.8

(0.17)

0.5

(0.10)

0.2

!

(0.10)

0.9

(0.19)

1,100

(190)

#

(†)

Sexual assault other than rape2

2.5

(0.33)

3.0

(0.32)

2.8

(0.24)

2.5

(0.33)

2.3

(0.34)

1.7

(0.37)

3.4

(0.38)

6,100

(1,360)

0.1

(0.03)

Physical attack or fight with a weapon

5.2

(0.60)

4.0

(0.46)

3.0

(0.38)

3.0

(0.33)

3.9

(0.48)

1.8

(0.34)

2.6

(0.38)

5,300

(1,280)

0.1

(0.03)

Threat of physical attack with a weapon

11.1

(0.70)

8.6

(0.71)

8.8

(0.66)

9.3

(0.77)

7.7

(0.72)

8.7

(0.78)

8.5

(0.79)

18,300

(2,420)

0.4

(0.05)

Robbery with a weapon

0.5

!

(0.15)

0.6

(0.15)

0.4

(0.12)

0.4

!

(0.14)

0.2

(0.05)

‡

(†)

0.5

!

(0.16)

600

(160)

#

(†)

Robbery without a weapon

5.3

(0.56)

6.3

(0.60)

6.4

(0.59)

5.2

(0.56)

4.4

(0.49)

2.5

(0.42)

2.7

(0.36)

9,500

(1,440)

0.2

(0.03)

Physical attack or fight without a weapon

63.7

(1.52)

76.7

(1.21)

74.3

(1.20)

72.7

(1.07)

70.5

(1.11)

57.5

(1.43)

64.9

(1.28)

567,000

(36,780)

11.5

(0.75)

Threat of physical attack without a weapon

52.2

(1.47)

53.0

(1.34)

52.2

(1.27)

47.8

(1.19)

46.4

(1.33)

47.1

(1.50)

39.4

(1.48)

257,000

(15,630)

5.2

(0.33)

Theft3

45.6

(1.37)

46.0

(1.29)

46.0

(1.07)

47.3

(1.29)

44.1

(1.31)

—

(†)

38.7

(1.29)

166,000

(5,190)

3.4

(0.11)

Other incidents4

72.7

(1.30)

64.0

(1.27)

68.2

(1.07)

67.4

(1.13)

68.1

(1.12)

—

(†)

58.5

(1.68)

350,400

(10,710)

7.1

(0.22)

Possession of a firearm/explosive device

5.5

(0.44)

6.1

(0.49)

7.2

(0.60)

4.7

(0.38)

4.7

(0.52)

—

(†)

4.0

(0.50)

10,500

!

(3,220)

0.2

!

(0.06)

Possession of a knife or sharp object

42.6

(1.28)

—

(†)

42.8

(1.23)

40.6

(1.10)

39.7

(1.06)

—

(†)

38.4

(1.26)

70,600

(3,210)

1.4

(0.07)

Distribution of illegal drugs5

12.3

(0.50)

12.9

(0.55)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

Possession or use of alcohol or illegal drugs5

26.6

(0.72)

29.3

(0.87)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs6

—

(†)

—

(†)

25.9

(0.68)

23.2

(0.68)

24.6

(0.57)

—

(†)

24.9

(0.85)

112,100

(4,250)

2.3

(0.09)

Inappropriate distribution, possession, or

use of prescription drugs7

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

12.1

(0.47)

—

(†)

9.5

(0.55)

20,100

(1,580)

0.4

(0.03)

Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol6

—

(†)

—

(†)

16.2

(0.68)

14.9

(0.57)

14.1

(0.50)

—

(†)

13.3

(0.50)

29,900

(1,620)

0.6

(0.03)

Sexual harassment

36.3

(1.26)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

Vandalism

51.4

(1.61)

51.4

(1.17)

50.5

(1.17)

49.3

(1.16)

45.8

(1.12)

—

(†)

33.4

(1.25)

107,200

(7,040)

2.2

(0.14)

Reported incidents to police

Total

62.5

(1.37)

65.2

(1.35)

60.9

(1.15)

62.0

(1.24)

60.0

(1.58)

—

(†)

47.4

(1.54)

448,900

(13,330)

9.1

(0.27)

Violent incidents

36.0

(1.26)

43.6

(1.15)

37.7

(1.09)

37.8

(1.16)

39.9

(1.13)

—

(†)

32.7

(1.13)

195,600

(9,620)

4.0

(0.20)

Serious violent incidents

14.8

(0.82)

13.3

(0.88)

12.6

(0.70)

12.6

(0.86)

10.4

(0.62)

—

(†)

10.0

(0.68)

20,000

(1,700)

0.4

(0.04)

Rape or attempted rape

0.6

(0.10)

0.8

(0.17)

0.3

(0.07)

0.8

(0.17)

0.5

(0.10)

—

(†)

0.7

(0.14)

900

(160)

#

(†)

Sexual assault other than rape2

2.3

(0.34)

2.6

(0.28)

2.6

(0.26)

2.1

(0.29)

1.4

(0.20)

—

(†)

2.7

(0.28)

3,600

(490)

0.1

(0.01)

Physical attack or fight with a weapon

3.9

(0.50)

2.8

(0.38)

2.2

(0.27)

2.1

(0.27)

2.2

(0.32)

—

(†)

1.3

(0.24)

2,500

!

(830)

0.1

!

(0.02)

Threat of physical attack with a weapon

8.5

(0.59)

6.0

(0.55)

5.9

(0.49)

5.7

(0.59)

4.5

(0.43)

—

(†)

5.3

(0.53)

7,500

(770)

0.2

(0.02)

Robbery with a weapon

0.3

!

(0.09)

0.6

(0.15)

0.4

(0.12)

0.4

!

(0.14)

0.2

(0.05)

—

(†)

0.3

!

(0.13)

400

!

(140)

#

(†)

Robbery without a weapon

3.4

(0.41)

4.2

(0.51)

4.9

(0.48)

4.1

(0.42)

3.5

(0.40)

—

(†)

1.9

(0.28)

5,000

(690)

0.1

(0.01)

Physical attack or fight without a weapon

25.8

(0.91)

35.6

(0.98)

29.2

(1.00)

28.2

(0.90)

34.3

(0.90)

—

(†)

25.1

(1.03)

121,500

(8,560)

2.5

(0.18)

Threat of physical attack without a weapon

18.9

(0.94)

21.0

(0.82)

19.7

(0.69)

19.5

(0.76)

15.2

(0.79)

—

(†)

12.9

(0.65)

54,200

(3,680)

1.1

(0.07)

Theft3

28.5

(1.04)

30.5

(1.17)

27.9

(0.97)

31.0

(1.12)

25.4

(1.01)

—

(†)

18.1

(0.80)

71,600

(3,280)

1.5

(0.07)

Other incidents4

52.0

(1.14)

50.0

(1.18)

50.6

(1.00)

48.7

(1.17)

46.3

(1.23)

—

(†)

33.5

(1.15)

181,700

(5,500)

3.7

(0.11)

Possession of a firearm/explosive device

4.5

(0.41)

4.9

(0.44)

5.5

(0.51)

3.6

(0.32)

3.1

(0.39)

—

(†)

1.9

(0.29)

7,500

!

(2,760)

0.2

!

(0.06)

Possession of a knife or sharp object

23.0

(0.84)

—

(†)

25.0

(1.00)

23.3

(0.69)

20.0

(0.88)

—

(†)

15.8

(0.66)

27,700

(1,330)

0.6

(0.03)

Distribution of illegal drugs5

11.4

(0.48)

12.4

(0.57)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

Possession or use of alcohol or illegal drugs5

22.2

(0.67)

26.0

(0.76)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs6

—

(†)

—

(†)

22.8

(0.62)

20.7

(0.60)

21.4

(0.57)

—

(†)

19.9

(0.71)

82,200

(3,300)

1.7

(0.07)

Inappropriate distribution, possession, or use

of prescription drugs7

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

9.6

(0.42)

—

(†)

7.4

(0.56)

15,100

(1,270)

0.3

(0.03)

Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol6

—

(†)

—

(†)

11.6

(0.61)

10.6

(0.55)

10.0

(0.41)

—

(†)

8.6

(0.41)

17,800

(1,330)

0.4

(0.03)

Sexual harassment

14.7

(0.78)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

—

(†)

Vandalism

32.7

(1.10)

34.3

(1.06)

31.9

(1.02)

30.8

(1.18)

26.8

(1.09)

—

(†)

12.9

(0.86)

31,600

(2,370)

0.6

(0.05)

—Not available.

†Not applicable.

#Rounds to zero.

!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.

‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.

1 Data for 2013-14 were collected using the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS), while data for all other years were collected using the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS). The 2013-14 FRSS survey was designed to allow comparisons with SSOCS data. However, respondents to the 2013-14 survey could choose either to complete the survey on paper (and mail it back) or to complete the survey online, whereas respondents to SSOCS did not have the option of completing the survey online. The 2013-14 survey also relied on a smaller sample. The smaller sample size and difference in survey administration may have impacted the 2013-14 results.

2 Prior to 2015-16, the wording of the survey item was "sexual battery other than rape."

3 Theft/larceny (taking things worth over $10 without personal confrontation) was defined for respondents as "the unlawful taking of another person's property without personal confrontation, threat, violence, or bodily harm." This includes pocket picking, stealing a purse or backpack (if left unattended or no force was used to take it from owner), theft from a building, theft from a motor vehicle or motor vehicle parts or accessories, theft of a bicycle, theft from a vending machine, and all other types of thefts.

4 Caution should be used when making direct comparisons of "Other incidents" between years because the survey questions about alcohol and drugs changed, as outlined in footnotes 5, 6, and 7.

5 The survey items "Distribution of illegal drugs" and "Possession or use of alcohol or illegal drugs" appear only on the 1999-2000 and 2003-04 questionnaires. Different alcohol- and drug-related survey items were used on the SSOCS questionnaires for later years.

6 The survey items "Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs" and "Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol" appear only on the SSOCS questionnaires for 2005-06 and later years.

7 The survey item "Inappropriate distribution, possession, or use of prescription drugs" appears only on the 2009-10 and 2015-16 questionnaires.

NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. "At school" was defined to include activities that happen in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Respondents were instructed to include incidents that occurred before, during, and after normal school hours or when school activities or events were in session. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and because schools that recorded or reported more than one type of crime incident were counted only once in the total percentage of schools recording or reporting incidents.